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Geoff Zahn, PhD
Translational mycology | Plant-Microbe symbiosis
Current responsibilities:
PI of Zahn microbial ecology lab (6 current students) | Associate editor of Mycologia | Mycology & Bioinformatics Teacher (12 credits/semester) | Bioinformatics consultant | PhD committee member (3 students) | Associate Department Chair (Biology) | Director of Bioinformatics Degree | R package developer
Professional Appointments
Associate Professor
Utah Valley University
Orem, UT
Current - 2023
Assistant Professor
Utah Valley University
Orem, UT
2023 - 2017
Postdoctoral Associate
University of Hawai`i at Manoa
Honolulu, HI
2017 - 2015
Education
Ph.D. in Biology
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR
2015
B.S. in Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics
Missouri State University
Springfield, MO
2010
Selected Funding and Awards
Pending funding
Collaborative Research: Burning questions in microbial ecology: Ecological mechanisms that control microbiome transplant outcomes Co-PI | NSF DEB | $1,448,000
S-STEM: Faculty-Mentored Experiences for Improving Undergraduate Biology Student Outcomes PI | NSF DUE | $1,495,000
Myco-Ed: Mycological Curriculum for Education and Discovery Senior Personnel | JGI
Current funding:
Molecular predictors of mangrove holobiont assembly (Co-PI)
$180,000
Singapore MOE (IG20-SI003)
2025 - 2023
Faculty-Mentored Experiences for Improving Undergraduate Biology Student Outcomes (PI)
$972,287
NSF (DUE – 1833880)
2023 - 2018
Selected Relevant Publications
Google Scholar Profile | 28 Publications | H-index: 14
Connecting the multiple dimensions of global soil fungal diversity
Mikryukov, V., Dulya, O., Zizka, A., … Zahn, G. … Tedersoo, L. Science Advances
N/A
2023
Inclusion of database outgroups reduces false positives in fungal metabarcoding taxonomic assignments.
Rawson C, & Zahn G. Mycologia 10.1080/00275514.2023.2206931
N/A
2023
Restoration of the mycobiome of the endangered Hawaiian mint Phyllostegia kaalaensis increases its resistance to a common powdery mildew.
Egan CP, Koko JH, Muir CD, Zahn G, Swift SOI, Amend AS, & Hynson NA. Fungal Ecology
N/A
2021
Foliar fungi alter reproductive timing and allocation in Arabidopsis under normal and water-stressed conditions.
Zahn G, & Amend AS. Fungal Ecology
N/A
2019
Fungal aerobiota are not affected by time nor environment over a 13-y time series at the Mauna Loa Observatory.
Zahn G, Tipton L, Datlof E, Kivlin SN, Sheridan P, Amend AS, & Hynson NA. PNAS
N/A
2019
Foliar microbiome transplants confer disease resistance in a critically-endangered plant.
Zahn G, & Amend AS. PeerJ 10.7717/peerj.4020
N/A
2017
Teaching and Mentoring
Designed a new Bioinformatics Degree Program
Experienced with univ. curriculum processes and accreditation
N/A
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See teaching website for courses
Mycology | RStats/Data Analysis | Bioinformatics | Microbiomes
N/A
N/A
Research mentor
3 PhD, 2 MS, 38 Undergrad students
N/A
N/A
Selected Invited Presentations (most recent 3)
Translating mentored undergraduate research into student retention and success
National Science Foundation S-STEM Symposium
Washington, D.C.
2023
Less content, more context: Research as pedagogy in undergraduate mycology courses
Mycological Society of America
FL, USA
2022
The causes and consequences of fungal community structure
University of Arkansas/Missouri State University
AR/MO, USA
2018